Other bits...

Friday, 26 September 2014

I just couldn't leave the Summer behind without revisiting the wonderful fishing boats at Hastings on the East Sussex coast. They really are one of my favourite subjects to paint.
This is the second time I have painted this particular boat, the red paint work looks so colourful against the Summer sky !
I loved the way that the composition represents the end of the working day. The gloves sitting on the poles to dry, the ladder leading the way home, the nets all tidy and ready for the next day and finally the departing seagulls.
I like to think that the weary fishermen have now headed off for a good meal, a good pint and recount the stories and tales of the day ."Tide out and Fish tales"Acrylic on canvas 24"x 18"

Sunday, 7 September 2014

As the Summer comes to an end I couldn't leave it without capturing the pretty girls sunbathing on the beach at Brighton.
I loved the way they just seemed to abandon everything and succumb to the last rays of the Summer sunshine.
The waves crashing on the beach seemed to add to the over powering moment of indulgence.

"Sea Spray and Sun Cream"Acrylic on canvas 24"x 16"

Painting the girls on Brighton beach

Well as I've painted the girls with the emphasis on the sun I thought I would go the other way and concentrate on the shadows.
I was busy people watching on Brighton pier and loved the way that the shadows were cast and their silhouettes on the deck chairs.
I am working from 3 different photos so the first thing I had to do was to get the continuity of the railings right and the wooden planks of the pier, I was then able to start work on the deck chairs.

Getting the railings and woodwork in the right place .

The stripes on the chairs needed about 5 layers of paint to get opacity that I required.
This can get a bit monotonous so to help me keep my concentration I started on the wooden chair frames.

Building up the layers on the chairs

Once the basic blocks of colour were dry I was able to flit about adding thin washes of paint. I also made a start on the shadows, these will transform the painting making it look really different

Thursday, 4 September 2014

Artgallery.co.uk are running an "Artist of the year " competition that runs from now until December.
I'm probably the least competitive person you will ever meet and have no chance of winning, but I thought I would support them as most of my sales have come from their site.
So, if you would like to vote for me it would be very much appreciated :)
Just click on the link and vote at the top of the Artgallery page

Click below to go to my gallery page

Prints for sale

Welcome to my blog.....

Thank you for visiting and taking time to view my artwork.I paint with acrylics on canvas. Using very small brushes allows me to retain a smooth surface on which I can indulge in fine detail.Each painting being a little bit brighter....a little bit clearer and a little bit more colourful than real life!Hope you enjoy your visit .